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Diseases of exotic pets
contents
- The zoonoses of the exotics
- Diseases of terrarium animals
- reptiles
- Terrarium hygiene
- Zoonoses in zoo animals
- parapox
- hepatitis
- papillomaviruses
- Coxiella burnetti
- Capillaria hepatica
- ornamental birds
- Hygiene for bird keepers
The zoonoses of the exotics
Exotic pets can also spread disease to humans, and laymen who keep such animals are usually unaware of it. Research has shown, for example, that 30% of turtles housed in homes and 21% of lizards suffered from listeria, bacteria that are also dangerous to humans. Importing reptiles in Britain and the US plagued ticks from Africa and Latin America, which can transmit pathogens from these continents.
Exotic pets: These diseases can occur. Image: Bene - fotolia In 2003, dozens of people in the United States fell ill with monkeypox, an epizootic epidemic in Africa. Hamster rats from the Gambia had introduced the smallpox, transferred to prairie dogs, and then infected by the private owners.
Few people today come into direct contact with so-called livestock: pigs, cattle, sheep, chickens and geese know the postmodern city dwellers primarily from the freezer in the supermarket. This reduces the risk of becoming infected with such live farm animals compared to our grandparents.
Today in private households there are countless exotic animals that our grandparents only knew, if at all, from the zoo: hundreds of thousands of geckos, agamas, skinks, boas, adders and even poisonous snakes are traded on reptile markets; Poison Dart frogs from South America, coral fingers from Australia or Californian Tiger Salamanders join the Persian cat and the Rauhaardackel. African Gray Parrots and Australian Diamond Finches, Guiana Macaws and Chinese Nightingales join budgerigars and canaries. The zoo trade also offers more and more exotic mammals, such as armadillos, mongooses, Gleitbeutler or hamster rats.
Not only do these wildlife have a special attitude, they can also transmit specific diseases, which laymen have no idea about.
Diseases of terrarium animals
Terrariums are like tattoos. Only a generation ago, only scientists and freaks kept lizards, scorpions or frogs in a glass box in their own home; These unusual pet animals have not only lost the reputation of the "disgusting", they have become a commodity, and an ever-growing market supplies the owners with offspring and wild catches.
Since there are fully furnished terrariums in the standard pack, including UV lamps, heaters, humidifiers, artificial stones, savanna wood and all imaginable food animals from wax moth larvae to crickets, locusts to nesting mice and rats, it seems possible for everyone, chameleons, giant snakes or poison dart frogs.
These animals often have a very interesting behavior, shimmering in the most magnificent colors and at the same time give the feeling to bring a piece of Amazon rainforest or African savanna in the apartment. It is often less the zoological interest that decides, but the need to have something special, or to place a living piece of jewelry in one's own four walls.
Unfortunately, some salespeople do not explain to customers how demanding most reptiles and amphibians are, and also what diseases they suffer from - diseases that we have not developed any defenses in contrast to those of our long-time housemates like dogs and cats. Temperature, lighting conditions and humidity must be right, otherwise the patients will soon die away.
The reptile freak old school was the knowledge of the habits, the habitat, the claims and diseases of his foster a matter of course. To keep the animals, he had to laboriously acquire the expertise. Today's hobbyists who want to stand out from the crowd with a royal python instead of golden hamsters, but this knowledge is often missing.
This leads to the fact that many animals are not kept in an appropriate manner, and the owners do not notice: An iguana does not cry when it suffers, a corn snake does not shred the home if it lacks "spout". Secondly, the laity do not recognize the diseases of their animals: there are reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates, and it is difficult even for non-specialist veterinarians to interpret the symptoms; Reptile diseases are a science in their own right.
In addition, zoo keepers observe strict hygiene regulations, separate their work from private life, for example, wear special work clothes, while private pet owners usually do not care for exotic animals in a defined area.
reptiles
Reptiles can transmit bacteria, fungi, viruses and parasites to humans. Of all iguanas and turtles carry these pathogens in themselves, so the most popular with children terrarium animals, which often serve as cuddly animals because of their peacefulness.
These animals transmit salmonella to humans and pathogens that inflame the meninges. This was proven by 66 studies over 20 years by two French research institutes. They evaluated 77 infections of children caused by reptiles. Three of the children died, two of them from salmonellosis, one from meningitis.
Probably half of all snakes and lizards are infected with salmonella. Salmonella can survive for several weeks outside the carrier, transmitted through direct contact, but also through the air or over the hands of the parent. About 14% of all salmonella infections in the US are caused by turtles.
Terrarium reptiles are far more susceptible to human salmonella than wild animals; such strains are likely to develop through the close contact between humans and reptiles. Hygienically pure and high-quality food can significantly reduce the risk of salmonella infection.
Campylobacter bacteria are also agents that transmit reptiles to humans. They cause nausea, diarrhea, abdominal pain and inflame the stomach. The owners become infected by the drinking water of the reptiles, by open wounds or by scratches such as bites of the infected animals.
Mycobacteria, so M. avium, M. marinum and M. tuberculosis are also transmitted from reptiles to humans, when cleaning the terrarium, through open wounds or through the respiratory tract. Such mycobacteria are especially dangerous for people with weak immune systems; in which they can cause a chronic pneumonia.
Tongue worms live in snakes; In the saliva and faeces of the reptiles store their eggs, and that can infect humans, especially if they clean the terrarium. From the eggs, the larvae hatch, they nest in the tissue and migrate through the intestine into the lungs, liver and spleen.
Running mites and snake mites also affect humans, inflame the skin and trigger itching.
Terrarium hygiene
Does reptile maintenance automatically mean infection? Not at all. People who travel to India do not necessarily get rabies, and those who visit Uganda do not necessarily catch AIDS.
Proper hygiene greatly reduces the risk of contracting an infection. Anyone holding reptiles should wash their hands thoroughly with hot water and soap after each contact with the animal, without first putting their fingers in their mouths or rubbing their hands on their clothes. The terrarium and its entire facility should be regularly disinfected.
Children should be trained in handling terrarium animals, and infants should not supervise them without supervision. In addition, reptiles are not cuddly animals: children should not kiss them, even if the smooth snake skin still lures so much. The "sweet" turtles and the fascinating iguanas are not toys or bedfellows. He who honors them, watches them, and who caresses them, then washes their hands.
The terrarium should not stand in the kitchen or the pantry. Wherever we prepare food, pathogens are easier to implant.
The cleanliness of a terrarium is extremely important to avoid diseases. Image: Vladimir Zadvinskii - fotolia When we bathe the reptiles, we take a special vessel for them, not our shower, bath or sink. Our other pets should not come into contact with the reptiles in order not to become infected with them. Small wounds from scratches or bites should be disinfected immediately.
We should go with our animals regularly to a specialist veterinarian, who discovers and combats possible pathogens.
When properly trained, the risk of contracting diseases is low - and a knowledgeable attitude should be taken for granted.
Zoonoses in zoo animals
Infectious diseases, which are transmitted to humans, are increasingly of interest to private individuals as well, as more and more of these classic zoo animals are raging in civil society today. The carriers are, in particular, the primates closely related to us.
parapox
Parapoxes are found in camel-like, wild and domestic sheep. People rarely infect themselves and then show pustular inflammation on the skin.
hepatitis
In 1990, a monkey-keeper infected monkeys with hepatitis A at the Wilhema, the Stuttgart Zoo, and after he had become infected in India. Two other ape carers suffered from the disease. The virus was transmitted to four different species of monkeys, including Japanese macaques. All carers were vaccinated with gamma globulin and no further infections occurred. In 1991 and 1992, all monkeys studied produced antibodies.
Hepatitis B occurs again and again among primates in zoos; In Stuttgart, a gibbon had to be euthanized because he carried the virus. The origin was an infected gibbon, which introduced the zoo 1972 in Vietnam. These were monkey variants of the virus, not the humane version. So far, it is unclear whether this "monkey hepatitis" is transmitted to humans.
papillomaviruses
Papillomaviruses have been detected in bonobos in zoos and are apparently widespread in these apes. The monkey virus is very closely related or even identical to the human. Bonobo-to-human infections are likely.
Coxiella burnetti
The so-called Q fever is mainly transmitted from primates to humans. In 1997, for example, both veterinarians became infected in the Wilhelma, but fallow deer transmitted the disease and presumably they became infected when they raised deer calves by hand.
Capillaria hepatica
The worm Capillaria hepatica infests rodents and is transmitted by these to humans. The eggs remain infectious for years and become lodged in the liver. These worms can change the liver tissue so that the person dies eventually. Despite treatment usually single eggs remain.
All described zoo animal diseases are also rarely transmitted to humans in zoos; nevertheless pet owners should keep an eye on them.
ornamental birds
Pet birds plague lice, mites and ticks; However, the greatest danger to humans is the ornithosis, known as psittacosis or parrot disease in parrots. Ornithosis is a severe disease that is reminiscent of flu and attacks the lungs.
Chlamydophila psittaci, the pathogen, seeks as a reservoir of birds, for example, parrots or pigeons. The birds themselves do not get sick. Humans usually become infected by inhaling the dust from bird droppings. Especially zookeepers, bird traders or workers in the poultry industry are affected, but also private ornamental bird owners pose a risk.
The disease is also transmitted by direct physical contact, for example, when bird keepers ring the animals, or at the cloaca to determine the sex.
If the pathogen is in the body, it infects the lungs via the bloodstream; the lymphocytes multiply and atypical pneumonia occurs.
In diagnosis, psittacosis is confused with typhus, typhus, generalized sepsis, Q fever, and Legionnaires' disease. Sypmtomas include high fever, pain in forehead and temple, slow heartbeat, severe cough, green diarrhea and pneumonia.
During treatment, the fever lowers after four weeks, the lungs are only intact after months. Without treatment, however, every fifth to second patient dies.
In the fourth week slower fever decline and leisurely recovery; Complete recovery and normalization of the lungs, especially after severe disease, only after many weeks. After the disease has survived, many years of immunity are acquired.
Hygiene for bird keepers
General precautions against pet animal infections are:
- Avoid direct physical contact with the animals and wash your hands after touching the birds or cleaning the equipment
- Avoid placing cages and aviaries near the kitchen and food
- if itching, stomach problems and other symptoms that can not be traced back to flu infections, colds, etc., consult a doctor
- regularly wash the food bowls and drinking vessels with hot water
- For aviaries and cages use as few materials as possible, in which germs and parasites feel comfortable, such as in untreated wood
- Use germ-free bird sand or heat natural sand before sprinkling it into the aviary
- When the aviary is in the living area, vacuum daily to remove feathers and droppings
- For large bird populations, it is advisable to wear a breathing mask during aviary cleaning
- Regularly change the seating branches, clean and disinfect the nest boxes
- Inform your veterinarian about the species kept and ask about the symptoms of diseases that can be transmitted to their patients
- Keep the remedies at hand against mites, lice and other ectoparasites
- if you feed wild plants such as chickweed, wash them thoroughly before giving the green feed to the birds
- use extra containers for garbage out of the aviary and do not tip it into the kitchen waste bin
Generally for all pet animals, whether exotic or old-fashioned: Adequate hygiene prevents most infections - from animals and humans. (Dr. Utz Anhalt)